Homesick
by Harley McCoy
Summary: Sometimes it takes the advice of someone that is gone to remind you of something you never lost.


March 31, 2010

**Summary: **Sometimes it takes the advice of someone that is gone to remind you of something you never lost.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything affiliated with Final Fantasy X or Final Fantasy X-2, or Square Enix, just the idea.

Homesick

Purple smeared into the tangerine orange sky. The slightest sound could be heard of someone closing on his position. He sat cross legged with his legs pulled in to his chest. He was peacefully watching the sunset. This wasn't the first time she discovered him quietly, almost longingly watching the ocean rise and fall at low tide.

She stopped beside him. "Hey." He looked up, a small, listless smile pulling at his lips. He turned back to watching the waves, without anything further. Taking that as a gesture to join, she sat beside him, mimicking his sitting choice. They both stared out, the sun slowly hiding behind the growing darkness of the sea.

Yuna, High Summoner and Gullwing to the Celsius, placed a hand on her boyfriend, Tidus', shoulders. "Are you okay?" He turned to her, his eyes furrowing in confusion, silently asking her to explain.

"You seem to be discontent with . . . life," she elaborated hesitantly. He opened his mouth to object, but she stopped him before he could utter a word. "I've noticed," she paused again, holding back her own trepidation that he would confirm what she was going to say next, "you miss Zanarkand, don't you?"

Tidus looked away. Yuna also hid her face, trying to mask the hurt she felt. Her bottom lip quivered as she tried to control her expression and suppress her tears. She hadn't thought about him and what he might have wanted. Maybe he wanted to have rested. She thought about herself only, and asked the Faith to return him to her. She, now, in retrospect realized that was selfish and wrong.

"You can – you can return, I'm sure. We could go speak to the Faith." Her hand slid down his shoulder, lifeless as it fell to her side.

_The Faith_. The words echoed in his head.

--

_**His small fingers traced the wood frame of a picture of his mother, who had just recently passed away. The young Tidus had already gotten accustom to Auron's silent, practically soundless entrance. "People will think you're a creeper if you keep appearing like that," he sniffled, wiping stray tears away. When he was sure that no one, especially Auron, could tell he had been crying he turned around to face his guardian. The man stood there silently, as if waiting for Tidus to continue the one-sided conversation, staying a casual observer. **_

_**Tidus sighed, hanging his head low. "The lady next door says to have faith, that things will get better one day." Without missing a beat, for Tidus was use to the routine of Auron not responding unless he was self-motivated to do so, Tidus continued, "Faith in what? How can I have faith when I'm all alone? All my family is gone." Looking up at his new "friend", he apologized as best a ten year old with an attitude and a chip on his shoulders could, "No 'fense." **_

"_**Don't be, I don't offend easily." Tidus nodded, numb. The older, sunglass-wearing-warrior huffed. "Family is not defined by blood relation, but by who you can rely on to always have your back."**_

_**--**_

Tidus looked back at Yuna, whose expression hadn't change. While it must have killed her to offer him to leave her, again, she meant it with all sincerity.

--

_**He was watching the waves, something he did when he wanted to relax and think. He was lost, but soon found himself pulled back to reality, as a blitzball had smacked him hard on the back of the head. Rubbing his the back of his head, Tidus glowered, searching for the thrower. He looked behind him to find Wakka, Lulu, and Yuna the only ones still on the beach. He was shocked for two reasons: they had been there the whole time and that he had ignored them. A pang of guilt pulsated in his heart. Wakka had a stupid grin on his face, immediately drawing suspicion.**_

"_**Wakka! What was that for?" Tidus accused.**_

"_**Wasn't me, brudda," Wakka informed, his eyes giving away the true culprit. **_

"_**Lulu?!" Tidus exclaimed, astonished.**_

_**The blonde, blitzball player still felt nervous – uncomfortable when Lulu would smile. It was a joyous rarity, which had been increasing in frequency since becoming a mother, another surprise. "You weren't paying him attention," she said pointedly. Tidus looked down, feeling a sudden tug on his pant leg. Vidina looked up, his eyes observant and alight. He was balancing himself using Tidus' pant leg as both a way of standing up and getting Tidus' attention. Tidus picked up the boy and gently bounced him, tickling his stomach so Vidina cackled and screamed in blissful happiness.**_

--

Tidus tipped his head down, his hair falling in his face. Making a mental note to get his hair cut, he frowned as he was reminded of Wakka's comment that Tidus was starting to look like Jecht, his father. But, was that a bad thing anymore? Tidus contemplated this, looking at his sneakers. The same pair he wore during his first time on Spira. Although offered, he didn't think that the Faith's gift of returning him to her was reversible.

--

_**Tidus had been playing for the Zanarkand Abes for months, close to a year, having accumulated a large fan base, mostly girls. He strutted toward the players' gate entrance, body guards blocking screaming fans. Teen girls his age, screaming and crying out for him to sign their blitzballs, shirts, wristbands, bare arms, anything! Five minutes with a star player and they would go nuts. As the wall of fans pressed the small metal barriers forward, Tidus smirked, waving occasional to a group of girls he thought exceptionally cute. He never asked a fan out, finding out the hard way they were more interested in him being a celebrity than him as a person. That date ended early, something he never allowed himself to forget, and neither did Auron. The red cloaked man followed Tidus into the stadium. They were drawing near the Abes locker room, when Auron's voice broke Tidus' reverie. "What will you do when you don't have this?"**_

_**Tidus, who had his hands behind his head, relaxed, stopped and turned around to face his blunt spoken friend. Titling his head, he spoke incredulously, "You mean playing blitzball? Hey, I don't plan on quitting like my father did by getting lost at sea," he muttered.**_

--

He let out a long drawn out sigh. All of sudden he had cotton mouth. So close to the water, but yet, he didn't have the energy to quench his thirst. Yuna turned to the love of her life, her eyes giving way that she wanted to say more, plead with him to reconsider, negotiate a deal, to give it some more time; instead she turned her head away, biting her lower lip. This was his decision.

--

_**They screamed and begged for an autograph. The sun shining down, but not cooking them like chocobo eggs over an open fire. They lined the Luca stadium entrance in hope of seeing the star. It wasn't a scrimmage or blitzball tournament game. Sphere break wasn't for another couple of weeks, and a diplomatic meeting would not be held until Nooj recovered from his bout of working himself to the bone. This – this was a concert starring Yuna. He gave her space, this was her time. He watched diehard fans wiggle and squirm through the throng of on lookers and attendees to ask her about new songs or if she would be singing old favorites. The crowds could be intimidating for someone who was not use to so many people. Luckily, Tidus was comfortable with the crowd, but uncertain with not being the one cheered for. He was happy for Yuna, hanging back even more as the volume of her faithful followers grew. His glory days were . . . gone? No one asked Yuna about him unless they had met him during Yuna's pilgrimage. He was just another face to them. What would he do when his fame and his blitz days were over?**_

_**Sitting in her dressing area, Tidus listened to Rikku and Paine give a pep talk to their fellow Gullwing. Yuna always had nervous jitters before a show; Tidus leaned idly against the wall. Three men unaware that the High Summoner wasn't alone burst in the room, looking to kidnap Yuna and hold her for ransom. Desperate and cowardly the men were unprepared for Tidus' quick reflexes and vast skill at wielding a sword. He disarmed the men, knocking them out before Rikku or Pain could unsheathe their weapons. **_

_**What would he do after his big blitz career was over? He'd protect Yuna just as he had done when he first left the game on that fateful day Sin arrived. He would continue to be Yuna's guardian and protect her.**_

--

A sudden surge of confidence and acceptance coursed through him; he hadn't felt so certain since his arrival back at Besaid and he realized he was no longer a dream. He turned to her, his sudden and swift movement startling Yuna. She faced him, leery of his sudden change in mood.

--

_**They were camping at the entrance of Zanarkand. They had just killed and destroyed man's last hope of defeating Sin, the Final Summoning. Tidus couldn't sleep and was standing at the petite peak's point, looking out at the bleak, black night. Auron stood behind him, some type of comfort taken in by both men by the familiarity of his silent approach. "You seem lost?"**_

_**Tidus didn't answer, but just continued to look out at the darkness. He was lost.**_

--

Yuna arched an eyebrow leery of his sudden exuberance. His eyes sparkled, as he relaxed a smile.

--

_**They were at the edge of the mountain's edge of Kimahri's home. The giant ronso was there to greet them. Yuna had proven her theory that Tidus was not going to disappear by pushing him into the waters that slouched below that very peak he contemplated his next move after defeating Lady Yunalesca. Tidus wished they had waited longer before returning to Mount Gagazet, as the tips of his hair and clothing were still wet. He was going to freeze to death traveling back through Mount Gagazet. Yuna waved to Kimahri as she passed him on her way back through the mount trail, the ronso leader grunting his salutation back. Tidus took one last look at Zanarkand, taking in the quiet depression the place breathed. It was like paying respect to a deceased loved one. **_

"_**Are you lost?" Kimahri growled. **_

"_**No," he laughed, " not anymore."**_

--

Tidus shot up and helped Yuna to her feet, his elevated spirits frightening Yuna. "No," he said flatly.

"No, what?" she questioned.

"No, I'm not homesick because this is my home. I guess I had forgotten that," he prattled. He glanced down then returned to locking eyes with her. "I'm sorry if I worried you and the others."

Her expression showed her skepticism. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I do. I really, really do." He moved closer, kissing her lovingly on the lips.

"You, Wakka, Lulu, Vidina, Rikku, Paine . . ." Tidus noticed himself rambling. A smile crept on Yuna's face, giggles escaping. "This," he pointed to the ground with one hand, the other still holding her close and protectively to him, "This is my home. I meant it when I said it the day you came home to Besaid after defeating Vegnagun and I meant it then as I do now," he breathed. "I might forget it sometimes, but I will always mean it."

Yuna nodded emphatically, secretly vowing to herself never to let him fall like he did then. She collided into him, embracing him tightly, nuzzling into his jacket, finding his bare chest, his heartbeat.

The sun had disappeared long ago, or at least it felt that way as they slowly made their way back to the village.

~ End Homesick


End file.
